Laudatives (from Latin laudare "to praise") are words or grammatical forms that denote a positive affect.
That is, they express praise or approval on the part of the speaker.
Laudatory words are rare in English compared to pejorative ones,[citation needed] though there are a few, such as "steed" for a fine horse.
More common is laudative use of metaphor, such as calling a helpful person a "saint" or fine food "ambrosia".
Intonation may convey a laudative affect, as in "What a house!"